'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. III. 1917' [‎16] (25/432)

16 INTRODUCTION
animals until the mountains overlooking the Ab-i-Shirwan (Upper
Diyaleh) are reached. Difficult paths lead through these hills : but
beyond them comparatively easy mule-roads run to Kirmanshah.
(See Boute 35.) Lastly, eastwards from Suleimaniyeh, a route which
in parts is practicable for led animals only leads by Penjevin over
the frontier to Senna. (See Boute 36 a.) _
It has been stated that the best line for a military road or railway 1
from the Tigris Valley into the Urmia district and NW. Persia
would run by the Lesser Zab Valley from Altun Koprii to Koi
Sanjaq, thence to Raniyeh, and on by Pishder Plain to the Wazneh
Pass, from there to El-Watan and the Lahjan Plain, and so to Ushnu
and Urmia. In the present volume this line is described as far as
Eaniyeh. Before the war the road from Altun Koprii to Koi Sanjaq
and Eaniyeh does not seem to have been passable for wheels
throughout, but it appears to have been capable of being easily
improved into a carriage-road. It traverses down-country and fairly
low ridges, running over clay and gravel. (See Boute 40.) Beyond
Kaniyeh the route to Urmia is described in vol. iv : it may be men
tioned here that at any rate in 1905 the road was not practicable
throughout for all arms, and it was reported that much labour and
expense would be needed to make it passable for large forces : the
passes beyond Eaniyeh are blocked by snow in winter.
From Koi Sanjaq and Eaniyeh roads for pack-animals lead, as has
been said, to Suleimaniyeh, and mule-tracks which are difficult in
parts and are mostly blocked by snow in winter connect these places
with Eowanduz to the N. (See Boutes 44 a-c.) From Eaniyeh a
route runs by Ser Desht to Banah. (See Boute 41.) A difficult mule-
track connects Ser Desht with Penjeviri on the Suleimaniyeh
Senna road. (See Boute 36 c.)
The last road-centre in the area here in question is Eowanduz.
This place lies, shut in among high steep hills, on the Eowanduz
Chai, which here flows in a narrow, deep valley. The approaches to
it before the present war were difficult even for pack-animals, but
from Harlr (below) a cart-road has been made. In the present
volume are described routes to Eowanduz from Mosul. One goes by
c Aqreh and across the Great Zab by the Qandll ferry, the other
crosses the Zab by the Girdamamik ferry farther south, and then
turns NE to join the northern route near Harlr, not far from Qandll.
Thence hilly country is crossed to the Khallfan gorge, by which the
difficult valley of the Eowanduz Chai is reached. The southern
route, if not already passable for wheels as far as Girdamamik, could
probably be made so with a few improvements. (See Boutes 45 a, b.)
From Erbil one route runs to join the Mosul—Eowanduz route in